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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drawer and drawer slide incorporating a quick-release mechanism between the drawer slide and the drawer.
2. Background Art
Nowadays, office furniture and the like which incorporates one or more drawers normally has each drawer mounted within a frame by means of a pair of drawer slides so as to reduce friction and hence, wear between the drawer and the frame. Drawer slides are well known and comprise at least two longitudinally extending members, slidable relative to one another, there usually being a plurality of ball bearings arranged between the two relatively slidable members, one of which is secured to the frame and the other to the drawer. It is preferred that some form of releasable coupling is provided so that the drawer can simply be removed from the frame and furthermore, so that the drawers are easily assembled within the frame.
A quick-release connecting clip of the above type is known in which a deformed spring steel clip has one end connected by riveting to the slide, and the other, kinked end terminates in a step so as to provide a projecting nose engageable within an aperture in the side wall of the drawer. This aperture in the side wall is spaced somewhat rearwardly from 20 the front of the side wall. This construction of connecting clip suffers from the disadvantage that it is made of spring steel and has to be pre-connected to the slide. Furthermore, because of the construction of the clip, it is possible for the clip to become disengaged from the aperture within the side wall of the drawer when, for example, the drawer is opened quickly and reaches the end of its travel. If the drawer is full of papers, it will be extremely heavy and substantial forces will be borne by the clip, which can cause the clip to deform and become disengaged from the drawer.
In another known arrangement, two clips are provided, one being located between the drawer front and front of the drawer slide to provide a vertical latch, and one between the 30 top of the slide and the drawer to provide a fore and aft latch. Such a double clip arrangement has its obvious disadvantages.
In our European Patent Application No. 99305264.6, we disclose a quick release connection in which a clip having a projection thereon is biased into engagement with an aperture so that the projection provides both fore-and-aft and vertical latching between the drawer and an inner slide member of one (or both) of the drawer slides.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved design of drawer slide and drawer, with a quick-release mechanism between the drawer slide and drawer, which is very simple to manufacture and fit, and is thus inexpensive.
According to the present invention, we provide a drawer and drawer slide combination incorporating a quick-release mechanism between the drawer slide and drawer, the combination comprising a drawer, at least one drawer slide comprising at least two slide members slidable relative to one another, an external one of said members being connectable to a framework and an inner one of said members being connectable to the drawer and a clip having a fixing part by means of which it may be connected to one of the inner slide member and the drawer, and a latching part having a projection thereon for engagement with a recess having a latching surface extending normal to the sliding directions of the drawer, said recess being located in the other of the inner slide member and the drawer, the latching part being moveable between a first position in which the projection engages with the recess to connect the drawer to the inner slide member and a second position in which it is disengaged from the recess to allow disconnection of the drawer from the inner slide member, and wherein at least one locating tongue extends between a front end of the inner slide member and a front of the drawer and engages within an aperture in that one of the inner slide member and front of the drawer from which the at least one locating tongue does not project, to provide vertical latching and horizontal latching transverse to the sliding directions of the drawer, between the drawer and the inner slide member.
In one construction, the clip is formed of two separate parts, one comprising the fixing part, and the other comprising the latching part, which may be spring loaded; in this construction, co-operating means are provided on each part to assist in holding them together in use, with the spring bias to the latching part being provided by a leaf spring portion on the fixing part, and the latching part being held in position, in use, by being sandwiched between the fixing part and the one of the inner slide member and the drawer to which the fixing part may be connected.
In another construction, the clip is a single moulded part which preferably incorporates a spring bias to the latching part provided by moulding the latter in a material which is resiliently deformable with a set, whereby when relaxed, it will take up its first position.
Preferably, the at least one locating tongue is located on a front edge of the inner slide member and engages within an aperture provided in a rear face of a drawer front. More preferably, two vertically spaced locating tongues are provided on the front edge of the inner slide member, each engaging in one of a pair of co-operating, vertically spaced apertures in a rear face of the drawer front.
Preferably, the drawer front is secured to a front of the drawer such that it is spaced a short distance from the front of the drawer, thus leaving a space between the front of the drawer and the rear of the drawer front, at each side edge of the drawer slide, which spaces provide recesses on each side of the drawer, with which a projection on a clip provided on each side of the drawer engages.
Preferably hook means is provided at a rear end of the slide which engages with a rear end of the drawer to prevent relative up and down movement between the drawer and slide at the rear of the drawer.
Preferably, there are means on or able to act on the latching part to enable the part to be moved between its first and second positions.